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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28358058">unfolded out of its golds</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/madlife/pseuds/madlife'>madlife</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Fluff, M/M, Slow Burn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 21:48:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,053</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28358058</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/madlife/pseuds/madlife</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Mr. Kim paused and held onto the teacher's table, and that was when the world turned over and the classroom and everything in it smudged into streaks of colors, and Donghyuck was suddenly lying on his back.</p><p> </p><p>(Donghyuck began experiencing visions that felt more than just visions after their History teacher mentioned the unnamed Joseon Grand Prince who had vanished with his eunuch and bodyguard. And then suddenly that senior Mark Lee was everywhere.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>392</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Markhyuck Week 2021</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>unfolded out of its golds</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>unfolded and all of its possible meanings: reveal, happening right now, open from a folded position</p><p>they are in their early to mid-twenties in the visions btw hehe</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When their History teacher, Mr. Kim, mentioned the unnamed Joseon grand prince who had vanished with his bodyguard and eunuch, Donghyuck strangely became enthralled by its mystery. He should be wide awake, since something had caught his interest, but instead he was like being lulled into sleep. </p><p>At first he blamed it on the post-lunch slump. Then on the heat prickling through the window to his left. Then on the lethargic swaying of the trees outside, as hypnotizing as the swinging of the wall fans and ceiling fans inside. Perhaps it was his position at the back of the classroom, that desk with the lure of a tempting nap. Maybe it was History class itself because it had always bore him. </p><p>“Nothing else was written on the official records,” Mr. Kim had said. “Nothing about a search, or if the public was informed. But some historians believed that the prince actually ran away, then lived as a commoner or most possibly a nobleman in a village far from Hanseong. And that his eunuch and bodyguard remained loyal—” </p><p>A pause. Mr. Kim paused and held onto the teacher's table, and that was when the world turned over and the classroom and everything in it smudged into streaks of colors, and Donghyuck was suddenly lying on his back, on a hard surface. But he felt free—everything he was wearing suddenly flowed, even the cotton around his feet felt loose. Light-headed, he shut his eyes, and instead of seeing darkness, he saw a murky image of a reclined body beside him, chest heaving up and down in slumber. He had long black hair over lotus-white clothes, like blank ink on a paper mulberry barkcloth; the strands of his hair forming enough characters to write a one-paragraph letter, within each line and wave, a well-kept secret. Warmth spread into Donghyuck's palms. He was holding his hand. He did not want to let go. </p><p>Mr. Kim cleared his throat, and Donghyuck snapped his eyes open. </p><p>The wall clock ticked. It took him a moment to return to the present. The heat. The hum of the fans. The grip of his socks. His school slippers. The embrace of his undershirt. His uniform, short-sleeved white shirt. His pants. The slouched backs and lowered heads of his classmates. Renjun in front of him, hunched over his desk, scribbling on his notebook. Beside Renjun, Jaemin was sitting still. </p><p>“Moving on…” Mr. Kim said.</p><p>There was a tugging at Donghyuck's sleeve. He turned to his right and found Jeno raising his eyebrows at him. </p><p>“Are you okay?” Jeno mouthed.</p><p>Donghyuck mirrored his facial expression and wobbled his head, whispering, “Of course.” </p><p>When Mr. Kim resumed his lecture, he appeared as though he was not feeling well. Mind elsewhere. He ended his class early, uttered a quick reminder regarding deadlines, then hastily went on his way. </p><p>As soon as he was out of the classroom, their class president rushed to the front. “Guys, let's talk about the school festival,” she said. “What should we do? Enough with the maid café, okay? Please.”</p><p>Donghyuck leaned backwards and began rocking lazily on his chair, hands clasped together on the gap between his spread thighs. The slow tap, tap, tap of the chair's legs on the floor started drumming over the rise and fall of voices, the squeaking of desks, the slapping of slippers, the sighing of the fans. His friends transformed into textured paintings in his unfocused eyes. Then a movement in the hallway awakened him. He turned his head to his right. </p><p>Mark Lee was walking past their classroom.</p><p>The hallway windows glowed from the sun's brightness, and against it, Mark was almost a silhouette, like a vague figure waiting behind a paper door, but with just one slide, the figure would be revealed, sharp and clear. Mark brushed his hair with one hand, the other clutching papers. He moved his head to the direction of the classroom. </p><p>Donghyuck flashed back to the times they had crossed paths—in the hallways, along the staircase, in the cafeteria, at the fields, at the school entrance. Their eyes would always find each other, and every time, they would pause, one foot firm on the ground, the other about to take a step forward; their gazes, linked, had hints of both familiarity and unfamiliarity. Donghyuck would bow first, and then they would go on their way. Donghyuck longed to look back, but he hadn't. </p><p>“Hey, Lee Donghyuck!”</p><p>Donghyuck snapped his head towards the blackboard. Their class president nodded at him. </p><p>“Yeah?” he croaked out.</p><p>Renjun had swiveled in his chair, watching him with a teasing glint in his eyes. Jeno nudged him and said, “I suggested PC bang.”</p><p>Donghyuck raised his fist in the air, and said with fake enthusiasm, “PC bang, let's go!”</p><p>“If you guys think that you'd be able to play a single game, you're wrong,” she said.</p><p>Donghyuck exaggerated a whine, and didn’t say anything else. </p><p>He glanced at the hallway. Only the shine through the windows remained.</p><p><br/>
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</p><p> </p><p>Mark Lee. </p><p>Donghyuck would often hear that name from the gushing mouths of his female classmates. </p><p>Their words, whenever Donghyuck chanced upon Mark typically from afar, would materialize before him. Broad shoulders as impressive as Halla mountain, a national treasure. The curl of his lips to one side, as inviting as the sweep of the waves on the beaches of Gangwon Province. His eyes, like two glimmering great full moons, worthy of celebration. How could someone <em> not </em>like him, they would say. He would help you with any troubles, offer his shoulders, carry them upon its breadth, so you would not have to bear them alone. He was polite, and through the shapes formed by his lips, only words of kindness would be found. His eyes were sharp and alert, but still fastened on the beauty around him. Hard-working, disciplined, obedient.</p><p>Donghyuck did not know Mark Lee. </p><p>But when he had caught a glimpse of the crown of Mark's head during the school's opening ceremony at the crowded gym; when he saw Mark's shoulders expanded as he put an arm around a friend on their way to the drinking fountain by the field; when Mark smiled and bowed at a teacher in the hallway; when Mark's eyes brightened up in excitement as he hurried down the stairs in his gym class uniform; Donghyuck would feel an urge to nod, and to whisper, just to himself: <em> I know,</em> <em>I know</em>. </p><p>Their first interaction, Donghyuck would not forget, was during Sports Day. It had happened quickly, like a swift and smooth movement hidden in the darkness, could only be caught by a flitting wink of light.</p><p>Donghyuck had heard a shout before he was tackled to the ground with a thump, then there came a blast of a flying soccer ball overhead. Donghyuck remembered the glare of the sun over a shoulder above him, followed by the itch on his skin from the grass. He took a proffered hand, helping him to get up. </p><p>Mark stood in front of him. They stared at each other through the slits of their squinted eyes. The sun was blazing, like the light bouncing upon the golden blades of a sword. Two butterflies hovered above them. Donghyuck brushed his bum through his tracksuit pants. </p><p>"You okay?" Mark asked. </p><p>Donghyuck nodded. </p><p>"I'm sorry I had to like, do that. The ball was flying onto your head," said Mark, hand gestures wide. </p><p>Donghyuck responded with a dismissive wave. "It's fine," he said. "Thank you for saving my face." He cupped his face with both hands like how leaves would do to a flower, and watched Mark slowly raise his eyebrows, open his mouth, and then laugh.</p><p>"Yeah…" Mark uttered, nodding and copying Donghyuck, holding both palms under his jaw, then clapping afterwards as he let out his final, airy chuckle.</p><p>Donghyuck did not get to say anything else, as someone had called out Mark's name. Mark took a few steps backwards then, pointing a finger at Donghyuck. "Take care," he said, before spinning around and jogging away.</p><p>Since then, Mark was everywhere. Donghyuck would turn around, and he was there. In the morning at the school entrance, more awake than everybody else with his back straight and firm grip on the straps of his backpack. During lunch at the cafeteria, a few tables over, chewing in pout, eyes roaming around. In the hallways with determined strides. Even in the restroom, carefully washing his hands, catching Donghyuck's eyes on the mirror. </p><p>One day, when Donghyuck was rushing up the stairs, he had tripped on one of the steps, but a hand immediately grabbed him by the elbow. It was Mark, who was as startled as him when a hint of recognition reflected between their eyes. Before they could say a single word, Mark was already being dragged away by his friends. </p><p>Donghyuck thought he should feel at least a little bit mortified for being "saved" by Mark a couple of times. A senior he barely knew. But somehow he only felt something he could not name. Was it relief? He didn't know. But he knew nothing felt strange. </p><p><br/>
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</p><p> </p><p>From the next period after History class, to the next, and to the next, the Joseon prince and his bodyguard and eunuch could not sail away from Donghyuck's mind. For the rest of the day, he was sleepy, drifting far from the present. Now as he mopped their classroom's floor, he just wanted to rest his head on its handle. </p><p>The sun was stepping down. Everything was dipped in the color of bronzeware. Other students strode along the hallway with their brooms, their dustpans, their mops, their trash bins. Across from Donghyuck, by the blackboard, Jaemin was also mopping the floor. Donghyuck couldn't help himself, so he paused and held the mop upright, and took his phone from the pocket of his pants. </p><p>With the short amount of time he had, Donghyuck digged through the internet for answers. He skimmed through blogs on Naver and Daum, history websites, anywhere. As he scrolled, his mind was getting foggy, but he did not want to stop. Eventually, he stumbled upon a forum, where he found a theory that, for some reason, he felt the most drawn to. </p><p>This online user speculated that, the prince had done a crime, or something else, that had disgraced the royal family, that might stain their honor, that they had deemed it necessary to wipe a big part of him away from history, including his name, in order to keep the royal family's reputation clean. </p><p>Donghyuck turned off his phone and jammed it into his pocket. He slid his grip up to the top of the mop's handle, then leaned his forehead against his knuckles. An acrid smell of a ginkgo tree wafted around him. Then a bright, familiar laugh rose for a moment then faded. There were no ginkgo trees around their school, he knew that laugh did not come from anywhere near him. He gulped, and tasted the sweetness and chalkiness of a persimmon. Wobbling a bit, he felt something soft pushed against him. An embrace. Donghyuck closed his eyes.</p><p>He saw the same long hair. He saw a mole on a cheek. Then he saw lips. Donghyuck felt a hand on his, then a fingertip tracing the lines on his palm like delicate calligraphy. The lips moved closer, and closer. </p><p>"Lee Donghyuck." </p><p>Donghyuck inhaled. The mop almost slipped from his fist. </p><p>Jaemin was in front him, studying him through his narrowed eyes, his mop left slanted against the blackboard. "What," Jaemin muttered.</p><p>Donghyuck dipped his head sideways and shook his head. "Ah…I think I played games way too late last night." He held a peace sign over one eye and winked.</p><p>Jaemin glared at him for a few seconds, before going back to his mop without a word. </p><p>Donghyuck looked down at the mop head. Just a bunch of threads, like an unnecessary tassel for decoration. The floor, white as a pearl freshly taken out of a shell, was spotless. He wondered what was there to clean.</p><p><br/>
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</p><p> </p><p>History class had moved on from Joseon Dynasty, and for a week or two, Donghyuck had avoided any thoughts about the unknown, missing prince, his bodyguard, his eunuch. </p><p>Today was the first time it rained in a sunbathed sky. It was late in the afternoon. They were going home. Jaemin and Jeno had their own umbrellas, already walking ahead of Donghyuck and Renjun, down the road leading to the school gates. Donghyuck rarely brought an umbrella, thought he would barely need it. So now he had to find shelter from Renjun's, squeezing closer every now and then, wincing at every drop of rain biting through his uniform, like he was being targeted by a bamboo arrow with poison on its tip, shooting from somewhere unseen. </p><p>A guffaw thundered behind them. Both Donghyuck and Renjun turned their heads to see. There were three seniors who just got out of the school building. Mark was one of them, laughing out loud, clutching tight onto his umbrella's handle, shoulders hunched, like he was frightened of the rain too. The other two weren't afraid. It appeared as though they were acting out a scene with such broad gestures that their umbrellas lolled from side to side, rain showering their uniforms. </p><p>One of them held both hands against his lower stomach, then stiffly bowed, taking small steps backwards, the rain whipping his back. The other was standing with perfect posture, one arm extended like in a command, like he was a royalty. </p><p>Donghyuck and Renjun resumed their careful steps.  </p><p>"Did you already know what the seniors are doing for the school festival?" Renjun asked. "I think it's their class." He indicated the three seniors with a thumb tossed rearward. </p><p>"What?" Donghyuck asked, half of his attention on the laughter.</p><p>"Late Joseon era-themed. I don't know if they're gonna do a photobooth or something else, but you can wear costumes. I heard Mr. Kim's going to actively participate."</p><p>"So, History class but with costumes?"</p><p>Renjun chuckled. </p><p>When they reached the school gates, Donghyuck peered up at the sky. The sun had dragged itself thin across the horizon, weeping with rain, like a royal gold girdle with dangling jewels the shape of teardrops, the jewels swinging violently until they fall. </p><p>Donghyuck heard Mark's friend exclaim: "Your Highness!" Then he heard Mark's faint laugh. </p><p>Donghyuck was about to move his head to their direction, but then he suddenly staggered.</p><p>"You idiot," Renjun said. </p><p>But the rain spilled and Donghyuck felt like it would never stop until they were flooded, jewels carrying him with their waves. He wobbled. </p><p>"The fuck, Donghyuck. You okay?" Renjun held him still with a grip around his forearm. But the feeling of Renjun's hand on his skin faded, and was replaced by the smoothness of silk. </p><p>Donghyuck covered his eyes, not minding anymore how he might get drenched.  </p><p>It was night-time dark. But the waters glistened with light from the moon and the stars against an unpolluted sky. He was on a boat, drifting along a river. A silk cloth with a top knot rested on his lap, bearing a lump of soft and light belongings. Some sort of a luggage? A cloth string was tied under his chin, hanging over his chest, attached to the tightness around his head. He was wearing a traditional headgear. Then he realized he was wearing a nobleman's attire. In front of him, someone was wearing the same clothing as him, head moving from side to side as if on a lookout. There was a presence behind him, strangely comforting. He slowly turned his head. </p><p>"Donghyuck. Donghyuck! You dumbass!"</p><p>Donghyuck dropped his hand. </p><p>The tapping of the rain gradually drummed into his senses. Followed by his uniform shirt soaked by the rain, cold and clingy on his skin. Renjun's arm was around his shoulders.</p><p>Donghyuck looked behind him, and found a tilted umbrella left alone on the ground, a butterfly under its shade. He saw Mark surrounded by his friends, protecting him with their umbrellas, their heads lowered in concern. Mark was pinching the bridge of his nose. </p><p>Donghyuck heard Jeno's voice. "What happened?" he asked. It seemed like he and Jaemin only went back to check on them. </p><p>"Donghyuck's suddenly like—" Renjun imitated him, taking a few tottering steps, then pausing to cover his eyes. </p><p>"What, Lee Donghyuck, did you stay up late playing games again," Jaemin said. </p><p>"What games?" asked Jeno.</p><p>Donghyuck stared into space for a second, before shrugging. "It's a secret," he said, sticking his tongue out. "Let's just go home."</p><p>His friends followed without a word. Jeno and Jaemin checked up on him over their shoulders. Renjun tweaked Donghyuck's shirt away from his skin. The bus stop was visible now, its canopy a shield from the rain. Donghyuck did not look back.</p><p><br/>
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</p><p> </p><p>When it had happened again, at noon, when the weather was getting colder and the school festival was getting closer, Donghyuck fought the urge to open his eyes. He held his breath and scrunched his eyes shut, repeating everything in his head. </p><p>This time he had heard an intelligible voice, deep and composed, uttering burst of phrases: the whispers, rumors; Your Royal Highness, the grand prince, and his royal bodyguard; inappropriate relationship; before the ministry and council learn about this; punished by death; tomorrow night by the river; assume a nobleman's identity; go, never return.</p><p>Donghyuck recalled the details of a golden five-taloned dragon haloed on the shoulders and chest of a red silk, imposing and formidable. His Royal Highness, the King. The King waved a hand after he had spoken, an order to leave, then in a flash Donghyuck was alone in another room, unlit and unbreathable. His hands had life of their own, removing a jade belt loose around his hips, followed by the round-neck purple robe, which fell on the ground like rain, the embroidered gold burnt black among the shadows.</p><p>Donghyuck snapped his eyes open with a gasp, roaming his damp palms all over his body, from his chest to his shoulders, from his stomach to his sides. He was wearing his navy blue uniform blazer, unbuttoned over a white shirt, his maroon tie swinging from side to side, reminding him of the ticking time of the present. </p><p>His friends' careful voices gradually rose. Donghyuck sensed Jaemin's gentle grip on his elbow, then something solid slicing against his lower back. The windowsill. They were on the school stairway's half-landing. Donghyuck, surrounded by his friends beamed by the sunlight behind him.</p><p>"Are you okay?" said Renjun, placing a hand on his shoulder.</p><p>"Should we take him to the infirmary?" Jeno asked. </p><p>Awhile ago, they were just climbing the stairs, Renjun and Jaemin agreeing that if there was a descendant of the Lee royal family between Jeno and Donghyuck, it would be Jeno. </p><p>"Eh? I don't think so," Jeno had said.</p><p>Donghyuck joked, "You got a problem with me?" </p><p>Mark and his friends came leaping down the stairs, Donghyuck and Mark catching each other's eyes as they brush past each other, then Donghyuck's friends cornering him at the half-landing, interrogating him: "Are you close to Mark Lee?" "Why are you and Mark Lee having a staring contest?" "Do you have beef with each other?" </p><p>At that moment, the half-landing and his friends were a shrinking box, trapping him, until his knees went weak like he was being forced to kneel down.</p><p>Now, after that vision—should he call it a vision when it was more than just a vision? Most senses were alive—Donghyuck felt like he just jumped out of a moving palanquin, unnoticed by the bearers, lying on the pavement he had rolled onto, watching the palanquin deminish. He was as free as the cranes carved into the palanquin's lacquered wood. </p><p>"He's spacing out…" Jaemin was saying.</p><p>Donghyuck looked at his friends one by one.</p><p>"What's happing to you?" Renjun asked.</p><p>"It's…" muttered Donghyuck as he stood upright. He fanned himself with his open blazer. "It's called acting."</p><p>For a second, his friends gaped at him. Then Renjun slapped him on the arm. Jeno playfully punched him on the stomach. Jaemin glowered at him.</p><p>"Stop lying!" Renjun said.  </p><p>"I told you, I was just acting." Donghyuck furrowed his eyebrows, pinched the bridge of his nose, and staggered way too theatrically. </p><p>His friends let out a faint laugh.</p><p>"I'll literally drag you to the hospital if it happens again," said Renjun, hooking an arm around Donghyuck's neck, pulling him. </p><p>As they ascended the stairs, Donghyuck couldn't help but to keep looking over his shoulder, like he had forgotten something.</p><p><br/>
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</p><p> </p><p>For a whole week, Donghyuck had felt a flare of pining; his feet tingling with desire to flee and go to random, specific places at random times of the day, to look for something he had forgotten. And for a whole week, he had crossed paths with Mark more often than before. Along the narrow walkway connecting the main school building to the cafeteria, cloaked by the jade-colored shade of the arched canopy, while everybody had already gone back to their classrooms. At an empty restroom during a quiet fourth period, suppressed between the doorway. Behind the school building, masked by its shadow, while emptying trash bins. They sneaked lingering gazes, but neither had slipped a single word. They were almost always alone, except one time along the open pathway towards the gym, when Donghyuck was with Renjun, who had later tossed a knowing look that Donghyuck pretended not to see. </p><p>Donghyuck paced the length of their classroom in the hallway, glancing every now and then down the field through the windows. His friends were leaning against the windowsill. They had just finished lunch, now waiting for the first bell to ring. </p><p>Jeno peered over his shoulder. "What's with the field? Are you looking for something?"</p><p>"I don't know, I don't know, I don't know." Donghyuck paused and jogged in place. "But I wanna go down so bad."</p><p>"You've been like that for days!" said Renjun. </p><p>Jaemin grinned. "Oh my, what if he's meeting someone secretly," he said, hunching his shoulders, wiggling his fingers.</p><p>Renjun cackled, but then he gasped. "Is it that senior? Mark Lee?"</p><p>"Oooh," Jaemin uttered.</p><p>"Donghyuck in a relationship…" Jeno mumbled. "He's gonna be the first one among the four of us if that's true."</p><p>"Donghyuck in a relationship?" said Renjun, shaking his head.</p><p>"Wow." Jaemin clapped. </p><p>Donghyuck faced the three and flicked the flaps of his blazer backwards, resting his hands on his hips, glaring, tongue against the inside of his cheek. They were teasing, but he still didn't know what to say. He glimpsed outside. Through the window, the sun was shrouded by the crown of a tree, but it was too brilliant that it couldn't hide, revealing itself through the gaps between the leaves, glistering like glass beads.</p><p>"Fuck it!" Donghyuck turned and strode across the hallway, towards the stairs, his slippers smacking the floor. </p><p>"Hey! Where are you going!" Renjun yelled.</p><p>"It's a secret!" </p><p>"You're going to be late!" </p><p>But Donghyuck was already running.</p><p>He rushed down four flights of stairs, and only brisk walked along the first floor hallway, greeting a teacher who warned him about the first bell. He slid towards the entrance among a row of wooden shoe cubbies, where he hurriedly traded his slippers for his outdoor shoes. As soon as he was out of the building, he dashed across the field. A strong rush of wind pounced at him as he ran, so he squinted and everything ahead of him was curtained by his eyelashes, like he was mounted on a horse along a forest of bamboo trees. </p><p>Donghyuck veered to the right, to one side of the building, then slowed down upon seeing someone by the drinking fountain. The fountain was circular and multi-stationed, and Donghyuck walked towards it, sweeping his fingertips across his bangs, panting. As he got closer, he could see the person, another student, shuffling his feet and looking around. Donghyuck paused and had to do a double take.</p><p>Mark Lee.</p><p>The moment Donghyuck realized who it was, Mark looked up and saw him, seemingly as startled as him. Donghyuck automatically bowed, and reluctantly approached the fountain. He stopped in front of a random station, bent down, and sipped from the stream of water. The water burbled. He was too aware of Mark as he gulped and gulped. In his peripheral vision, Mark was now standing still, his open blazer flapping in the wind, a fan dance.</p><p>When Donghyuck was done, he kept his head lowered as he wiped water from his chin with the back of his hand. He loosened his tie. </p><p>"Um," Mark uttered. "Excuse me."</p><p>Donghyuck faced him. Mark was four steps away. A butterfly fluttered past him. "Yes?" Donghyuck said. </p><p>They were concealed by the shades of the school building and the trees around them. The windows near the fountain were shut, no one would be able to catch them few minutes before the bell. Donghyuck had no idea what room it was, but it didn't matter. The leaves whispered overhead. </p><p>"I would just like to invite you to our classroom," said Mark. "I mean, like for the school festival next week. Yeah. We're doing a royalty kinda thing where you can dress up as whoever you choose. Like…a prince, maybe? It's late Joseon era."</p><p>Mark spoke with one side of his mouth curled up. Lips slightly puckered. Cheekbones like hills worth wandering onto. </p><p>"Oh," Donghyuck said. "Sure, sure. Of course." He hid his hands in his pockets, not knowing what to do. </p><p>"I'll support your class too!" Mark said. "What are you guys gonna do, by the way?"</p><p>"PC bang. We're gonna do PC bang."</p><p>"Damn, I kinda suck at games, though."</p><p>Donghyuck chuckled. "It's fine! It's still gonna be fun."</p><p>"Yeah, yeah. You're right." </p><p>They smiled at each other.</p><p>At the corner of Donghyuck's eye, the grass glimmered under the sun, wide open as how it should be, like how agate bracelets and jade rings and pearls should be proudly worn, instead of being in a jewelry box, locked and hidden. </p><p>"I'm from Year 3, Class 3," Mark said. "I'll be there in the morning. Before lunch."</p><p>Leaves were still whispering above, and Mark's hair shared whispers with them.</p><p>"Okay," Donghyuck replied.</p><p>"You?"</p><p>"Year 2, Class 6."</p><p>"Alright." Mark clapped, then pointed behind Donghyuck. "I should go."</p><p>Donghyuck moved aside, bowing as Mark awkwardly walked past him. He looked down at his feet, which had been rocking back and forth like it wanted to follow Mark. In a haste, he had failed to put his shoes on properly; he was stepping on the heel counter. It was a miracle he didn't trip. To his right, droplets of water plopped. Plopped, and plopped, and plopped. Mark's voice rose. Donghyuck whipped around.</p><p>"Don't forget," Mark said. Half of him was unveiled by the sun, all of him was carried by the wind. "3-3. Alright? See you."</p><p>"2-6."</p><p>Mark nodded. "Yeah. 2-6. 2-6."</p><p>Time was ticking. But the ticking was taking its time. They chuckled, in sync, then one last look, and they both turned away. And then small flashes of light. Donghyuck blinked. Just sparkles. Everything was sparkling as though his eyes were filled with jewels. He blinked again, holding onto a drinking fountain basin, then he crinkled his eyes close. </p><p>A contraction in his arm muscles. A grip in his fist. He was holding a bow. Flags fluttered about. The arrow was aimed at the target in front, but his eyes were aimed at someone behind him—thrust out chest, solid stance, long hair and clothes the color of ink that rippled into calligraphy, poetry, letters. Donghyuck released the arrow. And then he lurched forward. He was swaying back and forth on horseback, trotting across an immense field surrounded by mountains. Donghyuck held out a hand to one side. Clip-clop, clip-clop of hooves. Someone caught up with him. Same long hair, sweeping in the wind with the sweep of his lips. He took Donghyuck's hand. </p><p>Donghyuck was standing, holding his own hand behind his back. It was dark. The pond shimmered under the full moon. Soothing streaming of water. Lotuses floated with fallen leaves. Trees hung their heads in a bow. Donghyuck was on a pavilion, near its railing as red as the crown of a crane. Donghyuck looked over his shoulder. His lips moved, as though saying something. Behind him someone laughed, upper chest and shoulder pressed too close against him that their bodies trembled together in laughter, like the vibrations of gayageum strings. One pluck, one wink of light on the pond's surface. </p><p>Donghyuck faced forward. He was dipping into a round tub of lukewarm water. In a closed space. Still dark. Now naked. Taking a bath. He traced the water with his arms, and the water traced his arms back. A figure by the wooden door, on guard. He heard a sliding door. Donghyuck blinked. He was now standing upright again, in front of a four-panel folding screen. Wearing a purple robe. In a room illuminated by the sun through paper-covered windows. Soft cushion underneath his socked feet. His lips, tongue, throat, moved by themselves.</p><p>"Did you know," he said. "That butterflies represent free love and happiness?" </p><p>Two black and white butterflies were painted on the folding screen, hovering around red peonies in full bloom. From the first panel to the last, the butterflies were drifting farther and farther away from the flowers. </p><p>"Peony, a symbol of honor," Donghyuck said. On the second panel, he pushed an index finger against the peony where the butterflies were hiding, only the tips of their wings exposed. "Perhaps, in our next life, we could be the butterflies on the next panel." </p><p>On the third, the butterflies were free, fluttering above the peony. Donghyuck turned around. </p><p>A personal, royal bodyguard was standing by the closed paper door, near the wooden shelf with white porcelain jars. Half of his long hair tied, bangs over one eyebrow, one eye. Night-sky dark attire. Three-tigers sword by his side. He was looking straight at Donghyuck.</p><p>Donghyuck's feet walked on its own. Past the reading table, past the cabinet by the window, both wooden and sunken in height, carved with nature details, until he was face to face with the bodyguard, whose parted lips slowly turned into a smile. Donghyuck studied him—the full moon of his eyes, the hills of his cheekbones, the wave of his lips, the mountain of his shoulders. The bodyguard presented his palms, and Donghyuck held both, feeling their calluses. Donghyuck saw the mole on his cheek, and then wondered how to learn the strokes of his calligraphy, to understand deeper than the lines of his poetry. </p><p>A bell rang. </p><p>The first bell.</p><p>Donghyuck breathed in. </p><p>First, he felt the thumping on his chest. Then the coldness of the basin in his grasp. The breeze tugging at his open uniform blazer, his tie, his hair. His bangs tickled his forehead. Droplets of water ticked and ticked like time. Leaves murmured. Donghyuck opened his eyes, and snapped his head to the side. Mark was still on the same place. Now bending forward, both hands resting on his knees, hair over his eyes that were fastened on Donghyuck. The strands of their hair, their uniforms, sailed in sync with the leaves. Grass continued to glint. Should Donghyuck stride towards Mark, push him by the shoulders, until they were both under the sun, revealing each other? </p><p>A teacher appeared from afar, behind Mark, stopping in his tracks, as though surprised to see Donghyuck and Mark. The teacher approached them, calling, "Mark Lee. Lee Donghyuck. What are you still doing here?" It was Mr. Kim.</p><p>Donghyuck and Mark straightened up at the same time, following Mr. Kim's movements until he positioned himself between the two them, hands on hips. "That's why I had this feeling that I should go here," he said, nodding. "It's because of you two." He looked at Mark, then at Donghyuck, Mark, Donghyuck, Mark, Donghyuck, as if accompanying the drip, drip, drip of the water from the drinking fountain. "Go back to your classrooms before another teacher catches you," he said.</p><p>Mark hesitated, stammering unintelligible words. But Mr. Kim waved a hand at him. And so with one last look at Donghyuck, Mark bowed, then jogged away.</p><p>"Year 2, class 6, right?" Mr. Kim asked.</p><p>Donghyuck took his eyes away from Mark's receding figure. "Yes, sir," he said, adjusting his tie.</p><p>"Ah…we have History class," Mr. Kim said. "Shall we go to your classroom together?"</p><p>Donghyuck nodded.</p><p>"Alright. Let's go."  </p><p><br/>
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</p><p> </p><p>🦋🦋</p><p><br/>
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</p><p> </p><p>It was the first day of the school festival. It was only past 10 in the morning. But Donghyuck was already scurrying down the hallway. </p><p>A second ago, in their classroom converted into a mini PC bang, he was just watching a Year 1 student's character die in the game, then get revived again and again. The character's dying body repeatedly blinked. Every flash was a countdown. Then it would be on its feet again, in its second, third, fourth life, immediately running to do its mission. It wasn't Donghyuck's turn to watch over their mini PC bang. So now he was wedging himself through a huddle of people in the hallway. Once he was free, he had to duck his head away from a cardboard cutout carried over another student's shoulder. Then he almost bumped into someone. In front of the stairs, he paused, hopped in place for awhile, rolled the sleeves of his unzipped black tracksuit jacket up to his elbow, then climbed three steps at a time, slippers clapping. As soon as he reached the landing, he clutched his fists and squeezed into himself, squealing inside. Why was he so nervous?</p><p>A senior dressed up as a Joseon court lady walked past him. Green upper garment, blue bulky skirt. Donghyuck followed. </p><p>The hallway hummed with seniors in aprons and handkerchiefs tied over their heads, in white dress shirts and black trousers with matching black vests, in gym class uniforms or tracksuits. It was obvious who were from Year 3 Class 3. So far, Donghyuck had only seen royal guards in their red uniform, holding sticks as their sword, and then more ladies-in-waiting. Donghyuck stopped right below the wall-mounted sign that said 3-3 above the door. The royal guard next to it gave him a quick bow, to which they both reacted with an awkward chuckle. Donghyuck recognized him as one of Mark's friends.</p><p>"You can become a Joseon royalty for about five minutes," the senior said, suppressing a laugh. "You will receive a developed photo. And if you're feeling it too much, you can do some role playing. Like that guy." </p><p>Donghyuck peered inside to where the senior was pointing. </p><p>Half of the classroom was transformed into the throne hall. The windows were covered with a recreated painting of Sun, Moon, and the Five Peaks folding screen, and in front of it was the phoenix throne, looking like what anybody would expect to see from a typical high school play. A student in the king's robe was standing with a hand behind his back, the other extended before him. The seniors were laughing and playing along. </p><p>"The room is available." Another senior in a palace matron attire peeked from inside. "Do you wanna try?"</p><p>Donghyuck shrugged and went in. </p><p>Costumes were hanging on a clothes rack, beside a table with other props. The senior asked him what he wanted to be. </p><p>Donghyuck dipped his head to one side, pretending to think. Even though he already knew who we was. He said, "A prince?" He shook his head, then repeated with more certainty: "A prince."</p><p>The senior pulled out a blue robe.</p><p>"Are there no purple ones?" Donghyuck asked as he rolled down his sleeves and zipped his tracksuit jacket. </p><p>"We only have one for the Crown Prince." The senior handed him the costume. </p><p>Donghyuck slipped into the robe. Not the same smoothness of silk, as it was expected. But Donghyuck could feel his heart pounding through the inaccurate embroidery of a dragon on the chest, bright yellow instead of gold, and with the wrong number of talons. Donghyuck found himself roaming his palms all over the fabric. </p><p>The senior put a hat on him made out of black cardboard paper. He held it, adjusting it on his head, his bangs flattened against his forehead. Then he followed her to the curtain at the center of the classroom, separating the room from the throne hall. </p><p>"You can pay later after you get the photo," the senior said. With the sudden change in the tone of her voice, without any flinch of embarrassment, as though she was really into character, she cried, "His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince is here!" She drew the curtain. </p><p>As he entered the room, Donghyuck, a bit mortified, hung his head low and covered his mouth with a fist, stopping himself from laughing. The windows weren't covered. Morning light slanted across the room. A folding screen designed with flowers, most likely just borrowed from someone else's home, was set against the bulletin board and cabinets at the back of the classroom. There was a low redwood table in front of it. Donghyuck bowed at the lady-in-waiting with a camera around her neck, who indicated the mattress between the screen and the table.</p><p>Donghyuck stepped out of his slippers and perched down on the mattress, two traditional buckwheat pillows on both sides. It was only then that he noticed two bowing figures near the windows: an eunuch and a personal bodyguard. Green robe and cardboard paper hat for the eunuch, navy blue hanbok and a stick sword for the bodyguard. The stick had something yellow around its end, supposedly gold. The bodyguard did not bother to wear a wig. </p><p>"Your Highness, I am eunuch Dongyoung," the eunuch—Mr. Kim—said with a smile. Donghyuck could feel a brimming laughter from him. But when Mr. Kim looked up and saw Donghyuck, his smile instantly faded. He gaped. </p><p>The bodyguard lifted his head to check what had made Mr. Kim froze, and that was when Donghyuck had a good look at him. Mark Lee. </p><p>All three of them exchanged startled looks. </p><p>Donghyuck thought he heard the other senior with a camera said something, but he could barely hear anything now besides the drumming in his chest. He started blinking slowly. Drowsy. The light from the window suddenly too bright. He wrinkled his eyes shut. He counted from one to three. One. Two. Three  When he opened his eyes again, he was now in another room.</p><p>Faint burst of sunlight streamed from both sides of the room, through the small squares and thin rectangles of hanji paper windows. There were two low cabinets by the windows, and a low reading table in front of him, lacquered wood with details of the purity of earth. Shelves on two corners with celadons and white porcelain jars. Books. A softer mattress. Buckwheat pillows. Sliding paper door with silhouette of two people from the other side. The door opened. </p><p>An eunuch entered—Mr. Kim—in an authentic eunuch attire, its green glimmering. He was with another person, a bodyguard—Mark—clothes the color of a pond on a moonlit night. His hair was shorter and his body slimmer than what Donghyuck had seen in his previous flashbacks. Younger. Much younger. Same age as who they were at the present. </p><p>"Your Highness," the eunuch said. "Here is the bodyguard that His Royal Highness, the King, had chosen for you. He is going to be your personal bodyguard from now on."</p><p>The bodyguard bowed. </p><p>The exact moment he lowered his head, Donghyuck's head rose with a sharp inhale and he was back to the present. At Year 3 Class 3's room. In a Joseon prince costume. His tracksuit jacket tight around his arms and body. Mr. Kim, his History teacher, and Mark Lee, in front of him.</p><p>Mr. Kim gasped, cupping his mouth with both hands, knees almost failing him. Donghyuck heard himself mumble <em> what the fuck </em> over and over again. And Mark, Mark had been stiffly standing still, clenched fists, mouth agape. Mr. Kim began walking towards Donghyuck, stretching his arms out. He plopped down on the mattress and pulled Donghyuck into a hug. Donghyuck held him by the arm.</p><p>Donghyuck had forgotten about the other senior in the room with them, did she find everything strange? Donghyuck did not care. His gaze was on Mark, who was making his way to Donghyuck. Slowly, he dropped on the floor, only a table between them. Mark leaned forward, not letting his eyes leave Donghyuck. </p><p>"Oh my god…" Mark whispered. </p><p>Mr. Kim moved away and laid a palm on Donghyuck's back. </p><p>"Oh my god," Mark repeated.</p><p>Donghyuck had never seen Mark this close. So he let his gaze wander until it landed on Mark's mole on the cheek. That was the same mole. As though a butterfly alighted on his skin and left a mark right there.</p><p>"Wait," Mark said. "We've never had proper introductions. Hold on. I'm Mark Lee." Mark suddenly held out a hand. "From Year 3 Class 3, but you already know that. Oh my god. Um. I'm not good with swords but I have decent reflexes. I think." </p><p>Donghyuck took Mark's hand. No calluses, only the smoothness of a petal. He pressed their palms together. "Lee Donghyuck from Year 2 Class 6," he said. "I'm not a prince. But I guess, if you see me walking down the hallway, you'd be like, wow, is he a prince?"</p><p>Mark laughed out loud, scrunching his nose. Mr. Kim snorted and lightly slapped Donghyuck's back. "No, Donghyuck," Mr. Kim said, shaking his head. "No." </p><p>"I'm sorry," said Donghyuck, covering his mouth with a fist, other hand still holding onto Mark. </p><p>Mark shook their hands one last time as he recovered from laughter. But still did not let go. He smiled at Donghyuck. "Nice to meet you," said Mark.</p><p>Donghyuck smiled back. "Nice to meet you," he said. "Nice to meet you again." </p><p><br/>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>
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  <a href="https://curiouscat.me/__madlife">curiouscat</a>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>they are each other's last in their past life, first in their present life :( hopefully last too hehe </p><p>sorry for the flat character arc omg the story is just rlly a revelation... also donghyuck's friends probably know something about the reincarnation idk haha it's up to you </p><p>thank you for reading!!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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